WhilehewasthusmakingwaragainsttheNortherninfidelsnewswascarriedalloverChristendomofacatastrophewhichhadbefallenthegoodcauseintheSouthofEurope，wheretheSpanishChristianshadmetwithsuchadefeatandmassacreatthehandsoftheMoorsashadneverbeenknownintheproudestdayofSaladin。
Thursday，the9thofShaban，inthe605thyearoftheHejira，isknownallovertheWestastheamun-al-ark，theyearofthebattleofAlarcos，gainedovertheChristiansbytheMoslemsofAndaluz，onwhichfataldayChristendomsufferedadefeatsosignal，thatitwasfearedtheSpanishpeninsulawouldbeentirelywrestedawayfromthedominionoftheCross。OnthatdaytheFrankslost150，000menand30，000prisoners。Aman-slavesoldamongtheunbelieversforadirhem；adonkeyforthesame；asword，halfadirhem；ahorse，fivedirhems。HundredsofthousandsofthesevarioussortsofbootywereinthepossessionofthetriumphantfollowersofYakoobal-Mansoor。Cursesonhishead！Buthewasabravewarrior，andtheChristiansbeforehimseemedtoforgetthattheywerethedescendantsofthebraveCid，theKanbitoor，astheMoorishhoundsintheirjargondenominatedthefamousCampeador。
AgeneralmovefortherescueofthefaithfulinSpain——acrusadeagainsttheinfidelstriumphingthere，waspreachedthroughoutEuropebyallthemosteloquentclergy；andthousandsandthousandsofvalorousknightsandnobles，accompaniedbywell-meaningvarletsandvassalsofthelowersort，troopedfromallsidestotherescue。TheStraitsofGibel-al-Tariff，atwhichspottheMoor，passingfromBarbary，firstplantedhisaccursedfootontheChristiansoil，werecrowdedwiththegalleysoftheTemplarsandtheKnightsofSt。John，whoflungsuccorsintothemenacedkingdomsofthepeninsula；theinlandseaswarmedwiththeirshipshastingfromtheirfortsandislands，fromRhodesandByzantium，fromJaffaandAscalon。ThePyreneanpeaksbeheldthepennonsandglitteredwiththearmoroftheknightsmarchingoutofFranceintoSpain；and，finally，inashipthatsetsaildirectfromBohemia，whereSirWilfridhappenedtobequarteredatthetimewhenthenewsofthedefeatofAlarcoscameandalarmedallgoodChristians，IvanhoelandedatBarcelona，andproceededtoslaughtertheMoorsforthwith。
HebroughtlettersofintroductionfromhisfriendFolkoofHeydenbraten，theGrandMasteroftheKnightsofSaintJohn，tothevenerableBaldomerodeGarbanzos，GrandMasteroftherenownedorderofSaintJago。ThechiefofSaintJago’sknightspaidthegreatestrespecttoawarriorwhosefamewasalreadysowidelyknowninChristendom；andIvanhoehadthepleasureofbeingappointedtoallthepostsofdangerandforlornhopesthatcouldbedevisedinhishonor。HewouldbecalleduptwiceorthriceinanighttofighttheMoors:heledambushes，scaledbreaches，wasblownupbymines；waswoundedmanyhundredtimesrecovering，thankstotheelixir，ofwhichWambaalwayscarriedasupply；hewastheterroroftheSaracens，andtheadmirationandwonderoftheChristians。
Todescribehisdeeds，would，Isay，betedious；oneday’sbattlewaslikethatofanother。IamnotwritingintenvolumeslikeMonsieurAlexandreDumas，oreveninthreelikeothergreatauthors。WehavenoroomfortherecountingofSirWilfrid’sdeedsofvalor。WheneverhetookaMoorishtown，itwasremarked，thathewentanxiouslyintotheJewishquarter，andinquiredamongsttheHebrews，whowereingreatnumbersinSpain，forRebecca，thedaughterofIsaac。ManyJews，accordingtohiswont，heransomed，andcreatedsomuchscandalbythisproceeding，andbythemanifestfavorwhichheshowedtothepeopleofthatnation，thattheMasterofSaintJagoremonstratedwithhim，anditisprobablehewouldhavebeencastintotheInquisitionandroasted，butthathisprodigiousvalorandsuccessagainsttheMoorscounterbalancedhishereticalpartialityforthechildrenofJacob。